Portable holder for golf clubs



' L. SCHMID PORTABLE HOLDER FOR GOLF CLUBS Nov. 21, 1967 3 SheetsSheet 1Filed July 21, 1966 R. M 5 m P 2 g M PM W a L W- 2 4R i ww NOV. 21, CH DPORTABLE HOLDER FOR GOLF CLUBS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 21, 1966INVENTOR. LEOA/HAED 5c #M/D A'r-r vs, I

Nov. 21, 1967 SCHMID PORTABLE HOLDER FOR GOLF CLUBS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5Filed July 21', 1966 INVENT 0R.

LE NH/JRfl C W9 United States Patent 3,353,838 PORTABLE HOLDER FOR GOLFCLUBS Leonhard Schmid, Kilianstrasse 5, Augsburg, Germany Filed July 21,1966, Ser. No. 566,904 Claims priority, application Germany, Mar. 16,1966, Sch 38,674 8 Claims. (Cl. 28047.19)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A portable holder for golf clubs including aframe member having a carrying handle with a front limb depending fromone end of the carrying handle and a rear limb depending from the otherend of the carrying handle, a plurality of supports on the front limbfor receiving club shafts, a battery of tubular members on the rear limbfor receiving club handles, each of the tubular members being axiallyaligned with a corresponding one of the supports, and the axes of theindividual tubular members of the battery being splayed apart so as todiverge from their ends remote from the supports to their ends facingthe supports.

Specification The present invention relates to a portable holder forgolf clubs.

According to the invention a portable holder for golf clubs comprises aframe member having a carrying portion, a first limb having a pluralityof supports for receiving club shafts and a second limb carrying abattery of tubular members for receiving and locating the grip ends ofthe clubs, the tubular members being disposed in axial alignment withthe supports and being splayed apart so as to diverge from their endsremote from the supports to their ends facing the supports.

The holder locates golf clubs in the most confined spatial arrangement,yet in such a manner that the heads of the clubs cannot damage eachother by mutual contact. The numbers on the club heads can easily beread, since the numbers are displayed upwardly. The removal of a club isalso facilitated, and is possible without disturbing adjacent clubs inthe holder. The club grips are protected in the tubular members fromdirt and moisture; their axial positioning in the tubular members ispermanent. Rainwater can drain off through apertures provided in thetubular members. The holder is such that it can stand securely on aslope.

Preferably the limbs are of rectangular cross-section, with the largerflat sides of the second limb disposed parallel to the carrying portionand the longer flat sides of the first limb disposed at right anglesthereto. Thus, any two golf clubs lying adj acently at the same levelhave their heads sufficiently widely separated to prevent their mutualcontact, especially since the position'of the club grips in the tubessubstantially prevents a rotary movement.

Preferably the ratio of the distances of the first and second limbs fromthe centre of gravity of the holder is such that, when the holder iscarried from the carrying portion, the bottom support and bottom tubularmember lie substantially in the same horizontal plane. Thus,considerable ground clearance is obtained. The frame is provided with apair of spiked front feet or legs and a shorter rear spiked foot or leg.The front feet are inclined towards the rear of the holder and caneasily brush or glide over obstacles. In use the spikes on the feet cometo lie slightly behind the legs of the person carrying the stand.

Preferably, front legs of the frame are detachable and formed as a fork.Alternatively the frame is provided with a detachable front axlecarrying detachable wheels. A handshaft is connectable to the carryingportion. The holder can readily be dismantled so that it, together withgolf clothing and shoes, may be accommodated in a suitcase sofacilitating carriage when travelling to a golf course.

Preferably an accessory container is attached to the battery of tubularmembers. The container is provided with a detachable lid carrying anindicator disc on the outside thereof.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, withreference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a golf club holder in an upright position,

FIG. 2 is a plan view, of an adjacent pair of clubs at one level in theholder;

FIG. 3 shows the holder, in a carrying position;

FIG. 4 is a modification of the holder illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG.. 5 shows an open accessory container;

FIG. 6 shows a lid for the container; and

FIG. 7 shows a dismantled holder arranged in a suit case.

A golf club holder comprises a substantially U-shaped frame member 1.One limb 2 of the frame is provided with brackets or clips 3 on eachside thereof for receiving club shafts 4.

The other limb 5 carries a battery of tubular members 6 foraccommodating and axially positioning the club grips 7. The rear ends ofthe tubular members 6 are closely spaced together, for which purpose thefiat longer sides of the rectangular profile of limb 5 extend parallelto the handle portion of the frame 1. The tubes diverge from their rearends to the ends facing the limb 2 and are aligned with the supportclips 3 on the limb 2. The flat longer sides of the rectangularcross-section limb 2 are at right angles to the flat longer sides of thelimb 5. Thus, the club shafts 4 are splayed apart in the holder, as maybe seen from FIGS. 1 and 2; and this together with the fact that theshafts are fixed axially in the tubular members 6 and prevented fromrotation by the grips ensures that the club heads do not strike againstone another when carried. The tubular members 6 are the same length asthe club grips 7 to protect the grips. The tubular members 6 haveapertures for draining off rainwater. A catch for an umbrella 10 isattached beneath the tubular members. The frame is provided with a rearspiked leg 8 and a pair of forward spiked legs 9. The rear leg 8 isshorter than the legs 9, the latter being in the form of a forkreleasably attached to the lower end of the limb 2. This threepointsupport provides stability on all terrains. The numbers on the clubheads are displayed at the top and are thus easily identifiable sincethe angle of inclination of the holder to the ground is about 30. Theframe is provided with a handgrip 11. When the holder is carried fromthe handgrip 11, it is balanced so that the bottommost clip 3 and thebottom tubular member 6 are in substantially the same horizontal plane(as shown in FIG. 3) since the ratio of the distances of the front andrear limbs 2 and 5 from the centre of gravity of the holder isappropriately selected. Thus, considerable ground clearance is provided.Further, the front pair of legs 9 is inclined slightly towards the rearof the holder (as may be seen in FIG. 3), so that it easily brushes orglides over obstacles.

The front pair of legs 9 are releasable and can be replaced by an axle12 carrying Wheels 13. The axle is mounted on the lower end of the frontlim-b 2, as shown in FIG. 4 in the same manner as legs 9. A hand-shaft14 may be attached to the frame 1 by a clamp 15, so that the holder canbe pulled along.

A container 16 for golf balls, gloves and the like or accessories, isattached to the top of the battery of tubular members 6. The containerhas a detachable lid 17 which is provided on its upper surface with anindicator disc 18, wherein a window of the manually rotatable disc isdisplaceable over a dial located thereunder. If the disc is rotated byone number after each stroke, this gives a visual record of the play. Amatch card and a pencil are clipped to the inside of the lid 17. Beingdetachable, the lid provides a suitable writing support.

The wheels 13' are detachably mounted on the axle so that the holder canbe readily dismantled and accommodated in a suitcase of moderate size,as shown in FIG. 7.

The lower ends of the two limbs 2 and 5 are connected together by a baror rod, as may be seen from FIGS. 1 and 4.

I claim:

1. A portable holder for golf clubs comprising a frame member having acarrying portion, a first limb having a plurality of supports forreceiving club shafts and a second limb carrying a battery of tubularmembers for receiving and locating the grip ends of the clubs, thesupports being mounted on opposite sides of the first limb and thetubular members being mounted on opposite sides of the second limb, eachof the tubular members being disposed in axial alignment with acorresponding one of the supports and the axes of the individual tubularmembers of the battery being splayed apart so as to diverge from theirends remote from the supports to their ends facing the supports.

2. A portable holder as claimed in claim 1, in which the limbs are ofrectangular cross-section, with the longer flat sides of the second limbdisposed parallel to the carrying portion of the frame, and the longerfiat sides of the first limb disposed at right angles thereto.

3. A portable holder as claimed in claim 1 in which the ratio of thedistances of the first and second limbs from the centre of gravity ofthe holder is such that, when the holder is carried from the carryingportion, the bottom support and the bottom tubular member lie insubstantially the same horizontal plane.

4. A portable holder as claimed in claim 1 in which the frame isprovided with a pair of front spiked legs or feet, and a rear spiked legor foot, the rear leg or foot being shorter than the front legs or feet.

5. A portable holder as claimed in claim 4 in which the front pair oflegs are detachable and in the form of a fork.

6. A portable holder as claimed in claim 1 in which the frame isprovided with a rear spiked leg or foot and a detachable front axlecarrying a pair of detachable wheels.

7. A portable holder as claimed in claim 1 having a hand-shaftattachable to the carrying portion of the frame member.

8. A portable holder as claimed in claim 1 including an accessorycontainer attached to the battery of tubular members, the containerhaving a detachable lid, an indicator disc being located on the outsideof the lid.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,465,096 3/1949 Hunt 224 X3,058,504 10/1962 Powers 224-45 X 3,164,185 l/1965 Ingoldt 22445.l5 X3,215,181 11/1965 Reed ll.5

GERALD M. FORLENZA,-Prima1y Examiner.

R. I. SPAR, Assistant Examiner.

1. A PORTABLE HOLDER FOR GOLF CLUBS COMPRISING A FRAME MEMBER HAVING ACARRYING PORTION, A FIRST LIMB HAVING A PLURALITY OF SUPPORTS FORRECEIVING CLUB SHAFTS AND A SECOND LIMB CARRYING A BATTERY OF TUBULARMEMBERS FOR RECEIVING AND LOCATING THE GRIP ENDS OF THE CLUBS, THESUPPORTS BEING MOUNTED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE FIRST LIMB AND THETUBULAR MEMBERS BEING MOUNTED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SECOND LIMB, EACHOF THE TUBULAR MEMBERS BEING DISPOSED IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH ACORRESPONDING ONE OF THE SUPPORTS AND THE AXES OF THE INDIVIDUAL TUBULARMEMBERS OF THE BATTERY BEING SPLAYED APART SO AS TO DIVERGE FROM THEIRENDS REMOTE FROM THE SUPPORTS TO THEIR ENDS FACING THE SUPPORTS.